Contractor fined Rs 1 crore for Atal Setu road damage | Mumbai News

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) imposed a Rs 1 crore penalty on the contractor after a video showing surface damage on the newly opened Atal Setu went viral. While holding the contractor accountable, MMRDA attributed the distress to exceptionally heavy rainfall and continuous traffic flow during the monsoon.The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, officially named Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri–Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jan 12, 2024. Built at a cost of Rs 17,840 crore, the 21.8 km bridge is India’s longest sea bridge and the world’s 12th longest.A video showing surface damage on the newly opened Atal Setu went viral, prompting the MMRDA to take action. The contractor, TATA Projects Daewoo JV, was responsible for the 7.8 km portion of the bridge from Shivaji Nagar in Navi Mumbai to the mid-sea.MMRDA said the minor damage was observed at three spots—near km 11, 15, and 16 on the Navi Mumbai–bound carriageway. The authority initiated immediate repairs, resurfacing longer stretches with bitumen instead of patchwork, and using mastic asphalt to keep the carriageway safe under wet conditions.“Once the monsoon ends and hot mix plants resume operations, permanent resurfacing will be carried out with high-grade dense bituminous macadam (DBM) and asphalt concrete (AC) layers, strictly as per specifications. This will provide long-lasting riding comfort and durability,” MMRDA said in a statement. Officials added that the defect liability period (DLP) is also being extended by a year to safeguard long-term pavement performance.There were strong reactions on social media. A social media user by the handle Indian People posted on X (formerly Twitter), “A bridge worth 17,840 crore rupees, and this is its condition after 18 months! Public tax money demands accountability—strict action must be taken against corruption.”Reacting to the MMRDA post about action against the contractor, another user, Envy Kaushik, posted, “If this patchwork is ‘World Class standard’ to you, then we don’t know which standard you are following. It rains in every nation that exists; why don’t we see such kind of pathetic patchwork in other countries? The standard you are following must be the lowest.”